A Pocono Perspective ~ Woodloch's Blog

It's that time again! Everything you always wondered about Woodloch will be answered, one letter at a time!

The bread that I had with dinner during my last stay was phenomenal. From where exactly does Woodloch acquire its baked goods?

-Ralph S., Commack NY

Woodloch does not buy our baked goods from any bakeries. We make all of our own! The Bakery is located on the lower level of The Inn. Cakes, pies, breads, cookies, and everything else that pleases the palette are baked all year long on premises. Looking to bring something special home for friends? You can place a bread order in our dining room, or stop over at the Country Store for freshly baked confections. Definitely worth the trip! :)

I have a taste for the extreme and adventure. I'd like to know what kind of activities you offer that will really get my adrenaline going!

-Katie K., Fire Island NY

If "extreme" is what you want, then extreme is what you will get! Woodloch's new Eagle Eye Zipline offers riders a 600 foot descent at around 35 miles per hour, followed by a Tarzan Swing ride to the bottom! Waterskiing is offered seasonally; do your best to make it all the way around Lake Teedyuskung! Or, try your luck with our Trapshoot competition as you wield a 20 gauge shotgun and attempt to take out clay birdies!

I will be a first time guest this spring, and my family and I absolutely LOVE nature! What kind of wildlife can we expect to see in a few weeks?

-Allison T., Jackson, NJ

You picked a great time to join us, Allison! Springtime brings many of Pennsylvania's wildlife out of hiding and into the spotlight. Squirrels, chipmunks, deer, geese, rabbits and eagles all call Woodloch "home." And if you're lucky, you might even get a glimpse of a Black Bear!

My wife and I have 2 incredibly energetic children, but we'd like to be able to have a night out alone at your resort. How can you help make this happen?

Steve G., Hershey PA

We have a two-part solution for you, Steve. First of all, we will make sure your children are kept busy all day long- arts and crafts, kids games, bumper cars, the Woodloch Forest, snow tube runs and more will keep them satisfied AND burn off excess energy! Secondly, Woodloch offers a babysitting service so you and your spouse can spend the night away without the worry of your children being alone. Contact the main desk for reservations!

Do you have a question for the Woodloch Mailbag? Post below, and we will do our best to help you!

Here at Woodloch, we have different types of cocoons. Our cocoons burst open every spring, and out of them come lovely golf carts to be used by all of the fabulous golfers at Woodloch Springs.

There is almost nothing more fun than to unwrap those cocoons that have been covered since December. Golf time at Woodloch Springs has finally arrived. I know that I personally cannot wait to hit my brand new Ping I20 driver and irons.

For some, it is hard to shake off the winter rust. I tell people that it is best to start slowly so as not to injury yourself before golf season even starts! I always recommend some sort of work out or stretching beforehand; a little will go a long way!

I recommend checking out Body Balance for Performance or a Titleist TPI certified physical therapist or golf instructor. This has been a great help not only for my golf game but also in my daily physical fitness.

Keep an eye out for my next blog where I will share my favorite drivers of 2012. Until then, keep it in the fairway!

Jared Cottell, PGAHead Golf ProfessionalThe Country Club at Woodloch Springs

Many times guests will ask me, "did you all drink the Kool-Aid?" It's hard for people to understand how we can all be so happy and friendly all of the time, which got me thinking: what is the secret to the hospitality that we exude here at Woodloch?

To me it starts with the Kiesendahl family, the owners of Woodloch Resort. They have a mission statement, "to treat each and every guest as though they are family in their very own home." They not only treat their guests that way, but they also treat their staff that way. You will always find them around the resort helping out, pouring coffee, refilling food, shaking hands with every guest that walks through the dining room, and remembering guests year after year. On top of that, they know the names of the 900 staff members employed here, and they happily greet us throughout each day.

I asked the owner of Woodloch, John Kiesendahl, how he thought the spirit of hospitality originated. He answered, "the spirit of Woodloch’s hospitality started with my mom, Mary Kiesendahl. My dad, Harry Kiesendahl, was the business man, but my mom was the heart and soul of Woodloch. She was the out-front face of Woodloch, and she loved every one of our guests. In the beginning when there would only be 30 or 40 people staying at the boarding house, you would always see her out with the guests, making sure that everyone was happy. Her spirit of sincere concern for others’ happiness was contagious to all of Woodloch’s staff and genuinely appreciated by our guests. Mom’s kindness, friendliness, enthusiasm and personalized hospitality are the foundation of Woodloch’s tradition of warm hospitality. For the past 54 years, her loving example has been the cornerstone of our mission statement."

I also talked to Alexa Peregrim, who just started at Woodloch in January 2012, working in reservations and the dining room. She says, "Woodloch is such a fun place to work! Co-workers, managers and owners are so kind and make me feel like I've known them for years. It really allows me to feel comfortable and excited to go into work. Everyone at Woodloch was very welcoming towards me when I started working. The people I have met have already become great friends and colleagues even though I've only been here for a short time!"

I've worked here for nearly 16 years, and I don't feel like an employee; I feel like family. I think that's how most of the employees feel, and that emotion gets passed on to our guests. I'm not sure that its something you can teach. It's something that you have to experience. Hospitality is infectious, and a smile goes a long way.

I started working at Woodloch, a family resort in the Pocono Mountains, in 1996. I had no idea that I would eventually meet my future husband there! However it would be several years before that happened.

He finally popped the question in December of 2009, and I knew immediately that I wanted a Woodloch wedding. We set our date for August 2010. We opted to have our ceremony lakeside, which we stressed out about all the way up until the day of the wedding hoping that the weather would hold out for us. Luckily it did, and we couldn't have been happier!

...And so the planning begins! Now if tell you that we were on a budget that would be an understatement! I will, however, let you in a on few "do it yourself" secrets that helped. First, we ordered our "save the dates" and "wedding invitations" from 123print.com. The rates were awesome, and they looked great too!

Next, we made our own centerpieces from crafting materials purchased at Wal-Mart and Michaels. We found some affordable glass vases and flowers that allowed us to create EXACTLY what we wanted in our centerpieces. For the DJ and photographer we hired friends who we knew would do a great job and still be affordable, and we spent less than $1,000.00 on both.

Which brings me to the food. Woodloch offers many different options for your wedding day from, passed hors d'ourves to sit down service to grand buffets – we opted to the grand buffet which we knew had many options that would please all of our guests- who wouldn't love king crab legs and jumbo shrimp!?! The open bar featured top-shelf liquor and wines. Our wedding cake was included in our price and was made by Woodloch's own bakery. They offered many different flavors of cake and fillings... we went with a marble cake with half chocolate pudding and half cannoli cream filling with whipped cream topping. I found a picture online of a cake that I liked and gave it to the bakery and they made it look exactly like the photo, we were very impressed.

If you just got engaged and are thinking about your wedding venue, definitely consider Woodloch. They pay attention to every detail so that you don't have to worry about anything... expept making sure to say “I DO." They also make a great place for a destination weddings. Contact Cara or Connie today at 800.784.3466 let them start to make your dream wedding a reality.

Eleven-year-old Nicholas Villani is all smiles as he shows off his latest winnings: 2 medals won at Woodloch, hockey silver and wiffle ball gold. "I love it," he says of his first trip to Woodloch. "Heaven; we're in heaven." The Poconos resort has proven to be a great getaway for the West Babylon, New York family.

The Villanis have been through a lot lately.

Mom, Joan, has fought her way back from stage-3 breast cancer - a January 7, 2011

diagnosis requiring three surgeries, four chemo treatments, and steroid therapy. Treatments have left her with neuropathy. "You're never the same. It's a totally different person (who remains). Every single thing in your body changes," she says. Her driver's license depicts a blonde-headed woman with straight hair. Joan laughs as she points to her now curly locks of silvery gray. "You gotta fight the fight. It's a tough journey, but you gotta fight the fight," Joan says.

"Attitude is everything," says young Nicholas. "You can't give up."

"Positive, positive, positive," says husband Joseph. "You are what you think. She's a strong woman, just a strong person," he says of his wife. Joseph is proud of the woman at his side.

Even while undergoing treatment, she was still there for her family, even driving their son to soccer practice.

"She's a trooper; when I was bored, she would always do something with me," Nicholas said. Even when she was sick, Joan mustered the energy to play soccer with her son.

You see, the Villanis have learned to squeeze every moment out of life.

Unshed tears in his eyes, Mr. Villani says, "We don't take it day by day. We take it minute by minute. Every minute is a beautiful bloom - like a flower. And they're precious. They're a gift."

The Villanis say Woodloch has afforded them a chance to relax and enjoy one another. "It's so relaxing. It's so nice. I don't have to worry about cooking," laughs Joan. "Nothing is out of order. Everything is just so clean and I'm a clean fanatic."

In my decade of frontline service to our guests in the Social Staff, I've had the pleasure of hearing great feedback from many of our customers. The compliment that I certainly take most pride in goes something along the lines of "Wow. There are so many things to do here!" And I happen to agree.

I also hate generalizations. Numbers tend to speak louder to me, and I know that I'm not alone. My curiousity and undying thirst for knowledge led me to calculate exactly how many ways one would be able to spend a day at Woodloch in the summertime! Dusting off one of my old Chicago Math textbooks and digging my abacus out of storage, I have complied all of that information into a simple yet overwhelmingly convincing reason for you to bring friends and family to visit us!

COMBINATIONS FOR A TYPICAL JULY DAY, BY THE NUMBERS:

If you completely opted out of tournaments and simply visited open scheduled amenities (i.e. Go Carts, Climbing Wall, Zip Line), you would have at least 7,168 different possible ways to spend your day.

Combining all contests and tournaments, scheduled amenities, and all-day amenites (including pool complex, arts and crafts room, etc.) you would have a grand total of...

1,679,616 ways to spend your day!

And this figure does not include your options of relaxing by the lake with a good book, spending quality time with comrades in the Sports Bar, taking a scenic nature walk or bike ride, and various other activities- taking those into consideration brings the grand total EVEN HIGHER. So the possibilities are not infinite... but MAN, they might as well be!

To put everything into perspective, you would need over 4,600 years to experience each individual possible day. In theory, King Tut could have started his Woodloch vacation the day he was born and still have 1000 years to enjoy different and unique fun days at Woodloch. Safe to say that you may need more than one visit to enjoy all that Woodloch has to offer!

So the challenging math is all done- now your heart's desire for a great getaway to the Poconos can be coupled with some very convincing statistics for your mind! Consider all of the numbers we have provided you and give this number, 1.877.619.0937, a call today!

Just like the great David Hasselhoff before him, Bob Campen oversees our water operation both indoors and out. In case you haven't been fortunate enough to meet him yet, take a moment to get to know our head lifeguard!

Please tell us how your path in life ultimately led you to Woodloch.

I was looking for a job to make some spending money. When I was 14 years old, my mother was already working here in housekeeping, and our neighbor Fred Gelderman was too. My Mom asked JK if he could find a spot for me somewhere. I sat across from him, at the ripe age of 14, nervous yet confident. It was my first and last job interview. I have been here at Woodloch since then, working through high school and staying on full-time after graduating from Wallenpaupack.

You are a man of the water. Please tell us what your favorite water amenity/activity is here at Woodloch.

I was a waterski die-hard from the day I learned to ski in high school. I enjoy skiing myself, driving the boat, and instructing new skiers, guests and friends alike.

What is your favorite genre of music, and who are your favorite bands?

I like country music, but I don’t mind some good old rock and roll when I can listen to it LOUD! Kenny Chesney I have seen in concert a handful of times, he is entertaining and puts on a great show. The Zac Brown Band and ACDC would be the next two groups on my list; they also can rock a venue and make you want to see them over and over again.

How do you spend your time away from work? Any specific hobbies or pasttimes?

I am a Penn State fanatic. I love college football and enjoy tailgating with my family and friends in our home on game weekends. My wife, kids, family and close friends have shared many memories tailgating, enjoying beverages in the parking lot, and enjoying games at Beaver Stadium. We enjoy camping and our summer cottage at Elk Lake, where all we do is relax and enjoy the sunshine, water activities and our neighbors and friends.

What are the names and ages of your kids?

My son, Robbie, is nine years old and in the fourth grade. My daughter, Claire, is five years old and in kindergarten. They are both GREAT kids, very active and make me smile every day!

It's almost swimsuit season! Any tips on looking good for the beach during the summer?

If you don’t already have an exercise routine, start one. Everything done in moderation works best; get the blood flowing three or four times a week. The older we get, the harder these habits are to sustain.

When my bridesmaids came to me and asked where I wanted to have my Bachelorette Party various places came to mind… and honestly, Woodloch was not one of them. The first things that come to mind about Woodloch were family friendly entertainment and activities – and let’s be honest, a Bachelorette Party is typically not a family friendly event!

THEN as the planning process continued, I decided that all I really wanted to do was spend a day at the spa. Planning a wedding is stressful and I wanted a relaxing massage. Let me say that again – I NEEDED a relaxing massage!

As I only planned to do this once, I wanted to make sure it was the best. As we researched places to go, it turned out that one of the best destination spas in the world (yes that’s right, WORLD) was located right here at Woodloch.

The Lodge at Woodloch is a AAA Four Diamond property and has received accolades from Conde Nast Traveler as “#8 Resort in the US” and “World’s Best” and from Travel + Leisure as “#6 Destination Spa in the World.” It certainly was well equipped to handle me and my group of friends.

I cannot say enough about our experience and how wonderful the service was – we had lunch at the TREE Restaurant in the private Chef’s Kitchen and then were whisked away to the Spa have our treatments. I opted for the 50 minute Swedish Massage and it was spaaaamazing! We also spent quality time soaking in pool and under the Hydromassage Waterfalls!

So whether you are looking for a place for a Bachelorette Party or hoping to steal a few hours to yourself on your next family vacation – I strongly encourage you to indulge yourself at The Lodge at Woodloch!!!

The robins are nesting, the trees are all budding, and the grass is green as can be. Indeed, the 2012 "Winter That Never Was" in Northeastern Pennsylvania has shifted into early Spring Fever! All of our guests have been enjoying our climbing wall, Segways, and yes- even boat rides! Lake Teedyuskung, the beautiful body of water of which Woodloch shares its shores, is teeming with activity!

Lake Teedyuskung has been an essential part of Woodloch Pines since we opened doors way back in 1958. The lake has about three miles of shoreline and has a maximum depth of about 20 feet. The water is clean as can be; it is fed through multiple springs. It carries a brown tint due to the presence of tannic acid, which is a natural substance given off by the evergreen trees that populate the shoreline (this substance is also used to tan hides or stain wood!). The lake is rich in both beauty and history.

Most importantly, because the water is so pure, aquatic life around the lake is quite prolific! Many varieties of pan fish (perch, blue gills, sunfish), large mouth bass, catfish, walleye pike and pickerel all call Teedyuskung "home." Dennis Neenan, our favorite bartender, has been fishing in the lake since the early 70's. He once caught a large mouth bass that weighed about 11 pounds, which is MASSIVE for a bass. "I took measurements and released the fish. I release everything I catch. This lake is full of very healthy fish," says Dennis.

Anglers looking for the best locations to bond with nature need to look no further than Woodloch's very own fishing docks, located near some of the deepest waters of the lake. If you will soon be joining us, grab a pole and your lures, and bask in the relaxing ambience of Lake Teedyuskung!

Sometimes I wonder where the past 20 years of my life has gone. It seems like just yesterday, my life was filled with running through the woods, playing freeze tag on the playground, and of course, pretending that I was a ninja turtle with my best friends. Ahh, to be young.

Aside from running around from dawn to dusk and imagining that I was some kind of superhero, I will always remember fond times with Highlights for Children Magazine. Growing up, the publication was simply everywhere: school libraries, at the house, and even at dentist offices- any place where a child needed a quick release from reality. Any time I needed a quick fix of stories, games, or craft ideas, Highlights was always within my grasp! And the most impressive aspect of all this? This product of imagination and wonder was, and still is, produced in my own small hometown of Honesdale, PA, the next town over from Woodloch! It really IS a small world after all!

Since 1946, Highlights has been a prime force in nurturing young minds and encouraging creativity in children. 66 years and over 1 billion copies later, that tradition continues and has branched out to multiple publications for different age demographics, as well as a strong web presence. The magazine has even crossed international boundaries and is now available in China!

On top of releasing material that has been strengthening minds, the organization has established The Highlights Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing writers and illustrators in the field of children's and young adult literature. They offer a variety of workshops for guidance in novel work, picture books, magazine writing, and more. Their faculty is comprised of today’s best children’s book authors, illustrators, editors, and agents. A great opportunity for budding writers to expand their creative horizons lies just a short scamper down the road from one of America's favorite family vacation destinations!

Like Woodloch, Highlights knows the value of spending time together as a family; both organizations offer the perfect opportunities to make great memories with your loved ones! When you read an article or complete a puzzle with your child, or bond with your kids on a paddleboat ride around Lake Teedyuskung, you're not simply whiling away the hours. You're capturing the moment, seizing a stitch in time. And no matter how "small" that second may be, in the end those are the ones that really matter.